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Y (No ModelJ H. W. COWAN. AUTOMATIC GRAIN MEASURE.

Fiyi Patented Jan. 8, 1889.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

(No Modem H. W. COWAN.

AUTOMATIC GRAIN MEASURE.

No. 395,743. Patented Jan. 8, 1889.

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.METRE TAES Parar trice@ AUTOMATIC GRAINWIVIEASURE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 395,743, dated January S, 1889.

' Application filed March 20, 1888.

To (all whom it may concern:

vBe it known that I, HARRY 'WALLACE COWAN, of Gros, in the county of Day and Territory of Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Inuinovements in Automatic Grain-Measures, ot' which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to a new and useful grain-measure designed to be used especially with thrashing-machines for automatically measuring and discharging the grain; and the objects I have in view are to provide an automatic measuring device that shall be simple .in construction and certain and accurate in its operation.

Other objects of the invention Awill. appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accomlianying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved measuring` device, showing also the manner of connectin g it with the elevator of a thrashing machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the measuring device with the drivi11g\vheeIs removed. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section Showing the interior arrangement of the device. Fig. 4 is an end elevation with a portion of the casing broken away. Figs. 5 and 6 are details. Figs. 7 and 8 are also details showing portions of the tripping mechanism on a larger scale.

The main features of my device are a measuring-wheel that is mounted in suitable bearings in a receptacle into which the grain is deposited from the elevator or other device and an automatic tripping device arranged to be operated by the grain itself when a suticient quantity has been received in this receptacle to completely fill the measuringwheel, which is then, through the action of said tripping device, caused to make a single revolution, and thereby to discharge one meas l ure of grain. This measuring-wheel may be connected with any of the well-known forms of counters of registering devices, so that the amount of grain that is discharged from the receptacle will be registered.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, I prefer to provide a suitable receptacle, 3, which may be supported in any suitable man* ner, and is preferablyarranged to receive the grain directly from a suitable elevator, 5e

Serial No. 267,903. (No model.)

Mounted in suitable bearings in this receptacle is a measuringwheel, 7, which consists, preferably, of an open cylinder divided into any desired number of apartments by radial partitions 9. A suitable division-board, 11, arranged in the receptacle preferably above the measuring-wheel, prevents the grain from entering the upper portion ofthe wheel. The outer wall of the receptacle is preferably curved, forming a close :tit over the measuring-wheel. A dischargeopening,1S, is provided beneath the measuring-wheel, through which the grain is discharged. A suitable bag-holder might be arranged under this opening, so as to permit the securing of a bag at this point to receive the grain as it passes from the wheel. A stop-board, 15, arranged at one side of the discharge-opening', prevents any grain from escaping under the wheel.

The shaft 17 of the grain-wheel passes through the walls of the receptacle, and upon its end is mounted loosely a driving-wheel,19, that is driven continually by a belt or chain, 21, from the elevator-shaft or other convenient source of power. Thile the receptacle 3 is being lled with grain the measuringavheel remains at rest and the wheel 19 revolves loosely on the shaft of the measuring-wheel. As soon, however, as the receptacle has received sufficient grain to till the measuringwheel, the wheel 19 is connected with the shaft of t-he measuring-wheel by a suitable clutch mechanism, and is then caused to revolve, and thereby to discharge the grain that has been collected in this receptacle.

The clutch mechanism for connecting the wheel 19 with the shaft of the measuringwheel at proper intervals may be variously constructed. The device which I prefer for this purpose, and which I have shown in the accompanying drawings, is arranged as follows: A block, 23, is fastened upon the shaft 17 by a setscrew or other device, and in this block is pivoted an arm or lever, 25, by a pivotpin at right angles to the axis of the shaft. This lever is capable of being moved slightly in the direction of the axis of the Shaft by being oscillated upon its pivot. A

stationary ring, 27, is secured upon the wall of the receptacle 3, surrounding the shaft 17. This ring is provided with a notch orl cutaway portion ot' suflicient width. to receive the IOO lever 25. A spring, 29, secured to the block 23, bears upon the lever 25 and presses it toward the ring 27, and causes it Ato drop into the notch in that ring whenever the lever passes over it. As long as the lever 25 remains in this position, the grain-measuring wheel is held stationary.

The wheel 19 is provided upon its under side with pins 32,pre1ferably three in number. Vhile the lever 25 remains vin the notch in the ring 27 the pins 32 pass over it without touching it. As soon, however, as the end ot' the lever is raised a suliicient distance to carry it above the surface oi' -the ring 27, it is encountered by one of the pins and is moved along in front ol' this pin until it again comes over the notch in the ring 27 into which it is caused to drop by the spring 29. lVliile the lever rests upon the unbroken portion of the ring 27 it cannot be moved by the spring 29 out of engagement with the pin 32. The shaft 17 and the measuring-wheel will therefore be given a complete revolution and will then be allowed to remain at rest until the lever is again raised from its engagement with the notch in the ring 27.

The lever 25 is .provided with an arched portion, beneath which rests the end ot' a lever, 31, pivoted upon the wall of the receptacle 3, and preferably provided at its end with a friction-roller adapted to engage the under side of the lever 25. Nearits opposite end this lever is provided with a pivoted arm, 33, preferably held in an elevated position normally by a spring, 35. A sprocket-wheel, 37, mounted upon a shaft, 39, is driven by the chain that drives the wheel19 or by other suitable means. Upon its under side, pret'- erably, this wheel is provided with a lug, 41, which, when the arm 33 is in its normal position, will pass the end ot the arm without touching it; but when this arm is depressed against the tension of the spring 35 the lng` 41 will engage it and turn the lever 31 upon its pivot, throwing its lower end in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2.

The tripping mechanism consists, prei'eiably, of the following: Arranged within the receptacle 3 is a plate, 45, hinged at its upper end, preferably, and connected by a link, 47, with the cranlearm 49 on the shaft 39. As the shaft 39 is revolved constantly, the plate 45 is given a continuous vibratory movement. Beneath the plate 45 is a plate, 51, which is secured to a rod, 53, that is mounted in the walls of the receptacle and forms a pivot for the plate 51. Upon the end of this rod outside of the receptacle is an arm, 55, which bears upon the arm The spring 35 holds the arm 33 in an elevated position, as before stated, and thereby also holds the arm 55 and the plate 51 normally in the position shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5. The grain from the elevator falls upon the vibratory plate 45, passes over it, and enters the receptacle After a time the receptacle becomes filled with grain and' a part of it enters the space between the vibratory plate 45 and the plate 51, when the Y plate 45 is elevated. The next downward movement of the plate 45 will move the plate 51 upon its pivot, owing to the resistance oceasioned by the grain interposed between the two plates. The arm 55 will be depressed and will depress the arm 33 against the tension oi the spring 35. Thelug 41 on the wheel 37 will engage the end of the arm 33 and will move the lever 31 on its pivot, throwing upward its lower end, which, passing' under the inclined surface ol the lever 25, will cause that lever to be turned on its pivot and thrown outward beyond the surface of the ring 27, whereit will be engaged by the pin 32 on the wheel 19. The shaft 17 and the meas1uing-wheel will be rotated and a wheelt'ul ot' grain will be discharged. As soon as the grain is lowered in the receptacle 3, that portion which had entered the space between the plates 45 and 5l. will iall out. The weight ot the lower end ot' the lever 31 will cause it to fall back to its 'former position, the plate 51 will be returned toits t'ormer position, and as soo'n as the grainwheel` has made one revolution the lever 25 will drop back into the notch in the ring 27, and the device will thus be automatically reset and placed vin readiness for another operation. This will continue as long as power is applied to the machine and grain is put into the receptacle 3.

A pivoted and adjustable stroke-board, 60, is preferably arrzmged above the grain-wheel, and may be set to stroke off the grain more or less closely, according to the kind of grain that is being measured. This stroke-board is provided upon the outside of the casing with an index-finger or pointer, G5, and a scale is marked upon the casing, over which the pointer is adapted to move as the stroke-board is adjusted. This scale is preferably marked to show the position in which the pointer should be when the stroke-board is set for any desired kind of grain. As here shown, the scale is marked Flan \Vheat, Barley, and Oats 'When the machine is to be used for measuring flax, the pointer is turned opposite this word on the scale, and thereby the stroke-board will be set so as to give a full or heaping measure of flax, and when the machine is to be used for measuring any of the other grains the pointer will be turned and the stroke-board adjusted accordingly. The pointer may also serve as a lever or handle by which the stroke-board may be adjusted.

The relative sizes of the wheels 19 and 37 determines the number of pins or lugs 32 on the wheel 19, as the levers 31 must be thrown up and the lever 25 thrown out once while the wheel 19 is turning a distance equal to the space between any two of the pins 32.

Vhile I have minutely described the construction ot the devices shown -in the drawings in order that the operation may be read ily understood, l do not wish to confine myself to these exact details ot' construction, as

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terial to Till all ot' the compartments oli' said measuring-wheel and adapted to supply material to said Wheel, a driving' mechanism adapted to revolve said measuri11g-wheel, and a tripping mechanism arranged in said receptacle and adapted to be moved by the material therein and to connect said dri ving' mechanism with said measuring-wheel, whereby when said receptacle has received a su t'ficien t supply of material to fill all oi' the compartments of said wheel said tripping' mechanism will be operated by the material and will connect said driving' mechanism with said measuring-wlieel, as and for the purpose specified. 2. The combination, in a device of the class described, of the measuring-wheel provided with a series of compartments, the receptacle 3, constructed to receive a sutlicient supply of material to iill all the compartments ot' said measuring-wheel, a driving' mechanism, a clutch adapted to connect said driving' mechanism and said measuring-wheel, and tripping mechanism arranged in said receptacl'e and adapted to be operated by the material therein when said receptacle has received a suiiticient supply of material to till all the compartments of said measuring-wlxeel.

3. The combination, in a device of the class described, with the receptacle 3, of the measuring-wheel 7, the driving-wheel19, mounted loosely upon the shaft of the said measuringwheel, the clutch mechanism adapted to connect said driving-wheel with said sha-ft, the pivoted lever 31, the vibratory plate 415, arranged within said receptacle 3, the pivoted plate 51, the arm 55, the pivoted arm. 53 upon the lever 31, the spring' 35, and the wheel 37, provided with the lugI l1, substantially as described. 4

The combination, in a device of the class dcsc1'ibed,\vith the measuring-wheel, the driving mechanism, and the clutch mechanism, of the operating-lever 3]., provided with the arm and the spring' 35, the wheel 37, provided with the lug' 4:1, and the tripping' mechanism consisting' of the vibratory plate 15, arranged in the graill-receptacle, the pivoted plate 51, and the arm 55, adapted to engage the arm $53, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a device of the class described, Vwith the measuring-wheel 7 and its shaft 17, of the wheel 10, mounted loosely upon said shaft and [nrovided with the pins 32, the stationary 'ring' 27, surrounding' said shaft 17, the pivoted lever 25, the spring 2. and the operati n ,fr-lever S1, substantially as described.

(5. The combination, in a device of the class described, with the revolving measuringwheel, of the pivoted stroke-board 60, extending' across said measuring-wheel and adapted to be adjusted toward orfrom said wheel, the index on vthe outside of the casing', and the pointer secured upon the pivot of said board and adapted to be moved over said scale, and thereby to adjust said strokeboard, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand this 25th day ot' January, 1888.

HARRY AWALLACE COWVAN.

In presence of- F. J. CowAN, R. G. COWAN, 

